This invention relates to the field of airway management devices, and more particularly, relates to a barrier device to be placed between the rescuer and the patient so as to protect the rescuer during administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (xe2x80x9cCPRxe2x80x9d).
A CPR barrier device is used to protect a rescuer administering CPR on a patient who has stopped breathing, has an obstructed airway, or is in cardiac arrest. It is intended to prevent direct facial contact with a victim and reduce the chance that the patient""s exhalation or body fluids may enter the rescuer""s mouth. It is thus intended that such devices reduce the risk of disease transmission and help overcome the reluctance of a rescuer to perform CPR.
Barrier devices can be placed into three categories based on features and price. These include (1) face shields with filters, (2) shields with one-way valves, and (3) masks with valves and filters. Shields are single use, smaller and more portable than masks. Masks may be single use or reusable and may include disposable valves and filters. In addition, by providing a better face seal, masks may be more effective at ventilation.
Obstacles to real life performance of CPR include lack of training, poor learning retention, and fear of disease. It is therefore desirable to provide a CPR barrier device which improves CPR performance, increases the perceived protection or separation of the rescuer from the patient, and makes the device more desirable to obtain and carry. It is further desirable to provide a CPR barrier device which improves the face seal and support training in use of the device.
Further, during CPR, it is sometimes necessary to close the nose air path of the patient. Typically, the nose is pinched by one hand of the rescuer. During administration of CPR, it has been found that an inexperienced rescuer is reluctant to pinch the nose with the required amount of pressure or does not apply pressure at all. Therefore, it has been also found desirable to provide a CPR barrier device which includes a nose pinch element which assists the rescuer in sealing the nose of the patient and to assist in properly orienting the CPR barrier device on the patient. It has further been found desirable to provide a nose pinch element for a CPR barrier device which only provides for indirect squeezing of the nose.
In order to provide better performance than current mid-range barrier devices, it is further desirable to provide the barrier device with some type of one-way valve and air filter which incorporates patient exhalation diversion. It is also desirable to provide a CPR barrier device with improved volume delivery compared to current face shields.
Moreover, during CPR, time is of the essence. Many CPR barrier devices in use have been found difficult to deploy and properly orient on the face of the patient. It has therefore been found desirable to provide a CPR barrier device which can be rapidly and easily deployed by the rescuer and easily oriented on the face of the patient.
Another drawback of current CPR barrier devices for the general population is the lack of an incentive for the CPR barrier device to be carried by an individual on a regular basis. Therefore, it has been found extremely desirable to design carrying cases for a CPR barrier device which will motivate an individual to carry the CPR barrier device at all times.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which avoids the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device wherein airflow is communicated in the direction of rescuer to patient, and the patient""s exhalation is diverted from the rescuer.
It is another object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which prevents direct facial contact with a victim and reduces the chance that the patient""s exhalation or body fluids enter the rescuer""s mouth.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which includes a nose pinch element which assists the rescuer in sealing the nose of the patient.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which includes a nose pinch element which provides for only indirect squeezing of the nose of the patient.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which is of relatively low cost and disposable.
It is yet also an object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which can be rapidly and easily deployed by the rescuer.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a CPR barrier device which can be packaged in a variety of small carrying cases.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a CPR barrier device which is easily oriented on the face of the patient.
Various other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
This invention relates to a resuscitation device for providing a barrier between a rescuer and a patient requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. This resuscitation device includes an inflatable portion which when inflated extends in the breathing direction between the rescuer and the patient so as to be placed around at least one breathing organ of the patient; an inflation member which receives airflow from the rescuer to inflate the inflatable portion; and a ventilation/exhalation valve member for permitting airflow from the rescuer to the patient and for preventing exhalation and bodily fluids from reaching the rescuer.
In this resuscitation device, the inflatable portion can be formed of two sheets of flexible film to form an air chamber therebetween. The air chamber when inflated forms a pillow-like member to be placed around the breathing organ of the patient. This inflatable portion is inflatable between an uninflated condition, wherein the inflatable portion is capable of lying generally flat on the face of the patient on the breathing organ of the patient, and an inflated condition, wherein the inflatable portion is inflated in the breathing direction between the rescuer and the patient so as to be placed on the breathing organ of the patient. As a result, the resuscitation device of this invention permits mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to occur in both the uninflated and inflated conditions of the inflatable portion as time permits.
The inflation member of the CPR barrier device extends generally perpendicular to the breathing direction of the rescuer and includes an inflation valve member. This inflation valve member includes a blow tube which receives air from the rescuer to inflate the inflatable portion. The inflation valve member also includes a valve closing assembly which prevents air from escaping from the air chamber when the air chamber is sufficiently inflated. This valve closing assembly includes a pair of flexible flap members which open the valve air passage to the air chamber to admit air from the rescuer but close the valve air passage when sufficient back pressure is obtained within the air chamber.
In order to assist the rescuer in sealing the nose of the patient, the inflatable portion of the CPR barrier device of this invention may further include nose pinch elements. When the inflatable portion is inflated, the inflated nose pinch elements are pinched inwardly adjacent to the nostrils of the patient so as to be in a position to assist the rescuer in closing the nasal air passages. In addition, the nose pinch elements are designed so as to only provide an indirect squeezing force on the nose of the patient. When inflated, the nose pinch elements allow the inflatable portion to exhibit a three dimensional shape which conforms the CPR barrier device to the contour of the patient""s face. Thus, the nose pinch elements further assist the rescuer in properly orienting the CPR barrier device on the face of the patient.
The ventilation/exhalation valve member is in the form of a one-way valve which has a flexible valve member for allowing air to flow from the rescuer to the patient but prevents the exhalation and bodily fluids of the patient from reaching the rescuer. In one preferred embodiment, this flexible valve member is a flexible diaphragm which is movable between a flexed condition, wherein ventilation from the rescuer to the patient is permitted, and an unflexed condition, wherein exhalation and bodily fluids of the patient are blocked from reaching the rescuer. The ventilation/exhalation valve member further includes an exhalation diversion opening formed therein through which the exhalation and bodily fluids of the patient are diverted when the exhalation and bodily fluids of the patient are blocked by the flexible diaphragm when the flexible diaphragm is in its unflexed condition. A covering member surrounds the exhalation diversion opening to shield the diverted patient exhalation from the rescuer. In addition, a filter may be contained within the ventilation/exhalation valve member which always filters the exhalation or bodily fluids of the patient.
In order to shield the rescuer from the patient, a barrier member may also be incorporated in this CPR barrier device. This barrier member is in the form of a flange member that surrounds the inflatable portion of the CPR barrier device. This barrier member not only provides a shield for the rescuer from exhalation and bodily fluids of the patient but also assists the rescuer by providing a hand gripping area to assist in placement of the CPR barrier device on the patient.
Additionally, the shape and size of the CPR barrier device of the present invention has been optimized so as to be as small as possible when it is in its folded, undeployed condition. Advantageously, in its folded, undeployed condition, the inflation member is presented (exposed) to the rescuer when the barrier device is removed from is packaging to reduce the time needed to deploy the CPR barrier device and inflate the inflatable portion thereof.
Thus, in accordance with the general objects of the present invention, the CPR barrier device of the present invention improves CPR performance and reduces the chance that the patient""s exhalation or body fluids may contaminate the rescuer during CPR administration.